1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a robotic system for remotely controlling the position of a surgical instrument.
2. Description of Related Art
Endoscopes typically contain a lens that is coupled to a visual display by a fiber optic cable. Such a system allows the user to remotely view an image in front of the scope. Endoscopes are commonly used in a surgical procedure known as laparoscopy, which involves inserting the endoscope into the patient through a small incision in the abdomen. The endoscope allows the surgeon to internally view the patient without being in a direct line of sight with the object. The use of an endoscope typically reduces the size of the incision needed to perform a surgical procedure.
Endoscopes are commonly used to assist the surgeon in removing the gall bladder of a patient. Because the surgeon typically requires both hands to remove a gall bladder, the endoscope must be held and operated by a assistant. During the surgical procedure, the surgeon must frequently instruct the assistant to move the endoscope within the patient. Such a method can be time consuming as the surgeon may have to relay a series of instructions until the assistant has positioned the endoscope in the proper location. Additionally, the assistant may be unable to consistently hold the instrument in a fixed position, resulting in a moving image. This is particularly true for surgical procedures that extend over a long period of time.
There is presently a system marketed by Leonard Medical Inc. which mechanically holds an endoscope. The Leonard Medical system is an articulated mechanism which has a plurality of pneumatically powered joints that hold the endoscope in a fixed position. To move the endoscope, the pneumatic powered joints must be initially released into a relaxed condition. The surgeon or assistant then moves the scope and reactivates the pneumatic system. Although the Leonard system holds the endoscope in one position, the system requires the surgeon or assistant to constantly deactivate/activate the pneumatics and manually move the scope. Such a system interrupts the surgery process and increases the time of the surgical procedure. It would be desirable to provide a system that allows the surgeon to directly and efficiently control the movement of an endoscope.
The present invention is a robotic system that moves a surgical instrument in response to the actuation of a control panel that can be operated by the surgeon. The robotic system has an end effector that is adapted to hold a surgical instrument such as an endoscope. The end effector is coupled to a robotic arm assembly which can move the endoscope relative to the patient. The system includes a computer which controls the movement of the robotic arm in response to input signals from the control panel.
The robotic system is mounted to a cart which can be wheeled to and from an operating table. The cart has a clamping mechanism which attaches the cart to the table. The system also contains a spring loaded mount plate that allows the robotic arm to be rotated and adjusted relative to the cart and the patient. Both the robotic arm and the control panel are encapsulated by protective bags that prevent the system from being contaminated. The bags are removable and allow the system to be reused without having to scrub and decontaminate the arm or control panel.